D&D 5E (2024) Forgotten Realms subclasses discussion.

[Selas]

winter walker: wow, another ranger subclass focused on hunters mark. I would never have expected that...
also, again focusing on wisdom for number of feature usages. bad decision as usual in 2024.

It's almost like Ranger was built around Hunter's Mark...oh wait, it was.
Winter Walker was actually well received during playtests and you actually get good returns for using HM. Hollow Warden follows a similar pattern on the UA

 

[Distracted DM]

My first thought was, I am glad to see a martial class powerful at the highest tier of levels.

Check out A5E in combat, they can be scarier than the casters.

 

[Horwath]

It's almost like Ranger was built around Hunter's Mark...oh wait, it was.

pilling on a bad design decision does not make original decision any better.

only thing that can make any ranger subclass good is ability:
at 5th level, Hunter's mark does not require concentration.

Or just replace hunters mark with Divine favor.

Winter Walker was actually well received during playtests and you actually get good returns for using HM. Hollow Warden follows a similar pattern on the UA

Dont see why...

Cold resistance?
wont matter in 95% of combats, unless playing Rime of the frost maiden.

extra damage? 1d4 once per turn?
somebody call the rogue, sneak attack is useless now.

Ability to not use Disengage?
again wont matter in most combats as it is mostly used to get away from cambat.
Now if this prohibited Dash and Hide, it would be worth something.

Level 7:
again over reliance on a secondary stat.
Or all rangers now are required to be stick&board build.
1st level Magic initiate druid
4th level War caster, you need it to keep that "aweome" HM working.
8th level +2 wisdom

just simply make:
3 targets at 7th level, 4 targets at 11th, 5 targets at 15th level

11th level:
see 7th level, again with the wisdom, DC is fine it follows spells, number of usages is not.

oh, and we get epic +1 damage per turn buff to already miserable 3rd level feature. 8th levels for scaling of 1 damage. what a joke.
what do paladins get at 11th level? +4,5 damage on every attack on a single target?

15th level:
this is a 3rd level feature, at most 7th level feature.
for 3rd level just remove the bonus +1d4 attack damage and give 2d4 to everyone, make AoE 5ft at 3rd level, 10ft at 7th level, 15ft at 11th level and 20ft at 15th level. upgrade damage to 2d6 at 7th level, 2d8 at 11th level and 3d6 at 15th level

 

[mellored]

extra damage? 1d4 once per turn?
somebody call the rogue, sneak attack is useless now.

It enables the Cold Caster feat (-1d4 on their next save) to go along with that. Kind of tbe only way trigger it consistently aa you need to "hit" with Cold damage.

 

[Horwath]

It enables the Cold Caster feat (-1d4 on their next save) to go along with that. Kind of tbe only way trigger it consistently aa you need to "hit" with Cold damage.

And?
that is a good design?

here is a crappy 3rd level feature, but hey, we added a feat tax for you at 4th level so you can give someone an oneshot bane if you hit.
and Cold caster does not give STR or DEX bonus(unless you house rule floating ASI on every feat), so another reason for only viable build for ranger here is stick&board combo.
hey at least you can combine that -1d4 with Topple mastery. Small victories they say....

and then you didn't take warcaster feat at 4th level, so your Con saves are still in the toilet and you are expected to maintain concentration in melee without any aid with Con saves.